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Homebuying 101

Your new homebuying journey

Buying a brand new home is an exciting step.

From choosing a floor plan to your final walk through, we want you to know what you have to look forward to along the way. We're dedicated to creating a positive homebuying experience you'll always remember.

Click steps to learn more.

Searching for a new home

So you’ve decided to buy a home. Congratulations! It’s time to make a wish list of your wants and needs and start browsing new Richmond American homes online. Be sure to take advantage of local expertise. Our New Home Specialists know the communities, our floor plans and even the school systems. Save time on your search with their assistance. 888-500-7060

Get pre-qualified

Knowing how much a lender will be willing to offer you is key to starting your search out right. Pre-qualifying can be an easy way to determine how much you may be able to borrow and afford. To get started, call a loan officer at our affiliate mortgage company, HomeAmerican Mortgage: 866-400-7126.

Identifying your dream home

Once you narrow down your search online, it’s time to start driving to different communities and touring model homes. Take notes and pictures for comparing homes later. Imagine where you would place your furniture, and bring a tape measure to make sure it will fit.

Contract day!

Once you find your Richmond American dream home, it’s time to sign a contract. If you choose a quick move-in home, you’d better start packing! If you decide to build from the ground up, a sales associate will help you tailor your home’s layout with options such as flex rooms, extra garage space and more.

Construction

Nothing is more memorable than watching the walls go up on your new home. If you’ve chosen to build from the ground up, your construction superintendent will take you on scheduled walk-throughs so you can see the progress of everything from the wiring to plumbing and other structural details.

Making it personal

Unless your Richmond American home is completely ready for move-in when you purchase, you’ll work with one of our design consultants to choose fixtures, finishes and home technology. Dreaming of a tumbled stone backsplash? Want rich hardwood flooring? Now’s the time to coordinate fixtures and finishes throughout your new home. We’ll help you color match textures and surfaces for a look you’ll love. Learn more >

Insure your new home

Your new home will be one of the most important purchases of your lifetime. Don’t forget to protect it! Our affiliate, American Home Insurance, can help you find an insurance policy that meets your individual needs. Call 888-325-8108.

Touring your new home

Your home is complete! It’s time for us to show you around, orient you to the inner workings of your new home, review maintenance information and answer any questions you may have.

Closing day

The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. The keys are in your hands. Your Richmond American home comes with a limited warranty, providing you with greater peace of mind. Your home care team will check in at approximately one month, five months and ten months to answer your questions and take care of service requests.

Free homebuyer guides

We love helping buyers attain the dream of homeownership. It's been our job for 40 years! Now, we're sharing our knowledge with you in a series of FREE homebuyer guides. Enjoy worksheets, checklists and more tools to help you stay organized and informed from contract to close.

Personalizing your new home

Ready to bring the blueprint to life? When you build one of our homes from the ground up, you’ll have the opportunity to personalize your living space with everything from fixtures and finishes to home technology. We offer more included features and more ways to make your home uniquely yours, so you can have a beautiful home you love at any price point.

The Home Gallery™ When it’s time to choose the finishing touches, we’ll make you an appointment at our Home Gallery™. This innovative design center has all of our colors and textures on display—from backsplash tile to the cabinetry and countertops. Your design consultant can help you discover your style and create a design plan that fits both your tastes and budget.

Complimentary design assistance Choosing the finishes for your new Richmond American home is a big step. We don’t think you should have to do it on your own. As a complimentary service, our professional design consultants will help you coordinate colors and surfaces throughout your new home. We’ll know if the granite countertops you’re eyeing match the cabinetry you love. Plus, all the options are organized into color studios for a beautiful, pulled-together look without the guesswork.

Home technology Wiring for items such as home theaters, security systems and multi-room audio systems when your home is being built is more cost effective than making changes later down the road. Explore your options during your Home Gallery™ appointment.

Discovering your personal style No more cookie-cutter homes! With us, it’s personal. We believe your home should be uniquely yours from top to bottom. We start with a conversation about your tastes. Love a kitchen you saw in a magazine? Bring it in! Want your backsplash tile to complement your dishware? We can work with that. Great design starts with great inspiration.

Finding inspiration before you visit

If you’re having trouble discovering what you love, Pinterest can be a great resource. Check out our boards and pin or print the photos that best match your style.

Financing & insuring your home

At Richmond American, we have everything you need for buying and building your new home. Need to be approved for a mortgage? We have an affiliate mortgage team that can help. Need to insure your greatest asset? Our insurance agency is on the case. Contact one of the following companies for a streamlined homebuying experience from start to finish.

HomeAmerican Mortgage Corporation

866-400-7126

HomeAmerican Mortgage Corporation has been serving homebuyers since 1984. We are dedicated to providing a tailored financing experience for every customer.

As a full-service lender, HomeAmerican can help you sort through the lending lingo and uncover your personal buying power. We would be happy to look at your personal finances and present you with mortgage solutions designed to meet your needs. Our experienced loan officers are available to answer any questions you may have regarding financing your new home, or refinancing your existing home.

Energy efficiency

A HERS® rating for every home

We all know less energy consumption means you'll spend less money on energy bills. Richmond American understands that even small changes can make a big difference. We're committed to looking for new and innovative ways to save energy and reduce our impact on the environment.

Richmond American uses the HERS® Index to gauge a home's comparative energy efficiency. HERS stands for Home Energy Rating System, a system created by RESNET®, which has become an industry standard for rating home energy efficiency.^

How to read the index+

130 = Existing home++ 100 = Reference home+++

Example:A home scoring 70 on the HERS Index is 30% more energy efficient than a reference home. See a sales associate for the Projected Rating on the HERS Index for a specific plan.

Each 1-point decrease on the index is designed by RESNET® to correspond to 1% reduction in energy consumption! Energy-saving features can drive the rating down.

Watch this video to find out more:

This video (version 2 -09/2015) was prepared by RESNET and can be found at http://www.hersindex.com. RESNET® has developed the HERS® index to indicate the comparative efficiencies of homes. It is no guarantee that energy efficiencies will be achieved. Actual results will vary.

Richmond American Homes will provide a confirmed rating for your completed new home—not just an estimate!

We use third-party home energy raters to perform on-site observations and tests for rated features following RESNET's national standards.

Frequently asked questions from homebuyers like you!

Q

What is a gourmet kitchen?

AA gourmet kitchen will vary by region, and even from plan to plan, but it generally includes double wall ovens, a cooktop stove, a microwave and a kitchen island (if the island is an optional feature), in addition to the standard features and appliances included in a Richmond American kitchen. In some markets, granite countertops, tile backsplashes, stainless-steel appliances, extra square footage and other details may also be included. Visit a Sales Center or call a New Home Specialist at 888-500-7060 with questions about the gourmet kitchen options available for a specific floor plan or community.

Q

What is a deluxe bath? Are all deluxe baths located in the master suite?

AA deluxe bath may vary by market, but typically includes a separate tub and shower, a water closet and double sinks. Some regional variations may include a jetted, oval or garden tub, a walk-in shower and upgraded surfaces, like granite countertops and ceramic tile surrounds. The deluxe upgrade is usually offered for master baths, but may also be available for secondary baths, depending on the floor plan. Visit a Sales Center or call a New Home Specialist at 888-500-7060 with questions about the deluxe bath options available for a specific floor plan or community.

Q

How energy-efficient are Richmond American homes? What energy-saving features are built in?

AIn the homebuilding industry, energy efficiency is often measured on the RESNET® HERS® Index. While many builders provide only an estimated HERS rating or no rating at all, Richmond American offers a confirmed score based on third-party inspection of your completed home. HERS ratings vary by market and by plan, so be sure to ask a sales associate about the efficiency of the home you've selected.

Depending on the market and home plan, energy-saving features may include:

ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances, CFL lighting and/or HVAC equipment

Effective insulation and a sealed home envelope

High-efficiency HVAC equipment; right-sized HVAC design

Low-e windows

Programmable thermostats

Other features may be available in your area. Visit a Sales Center or call a New Home Specialist at 888-500-7060 to learn more about the ways our homes could help you save energy and money.

Q

What interior paint does Richmond American use?

AYour design consultant at the Home Gallery will help you choose from color-matched Sherwin-Williams® paint colors designed to provide a warm, neutral background that will allow your accessories to stand out.

Q

What brand of appliances does Richmond American use?

AGE® is our national appliance vendor of choice. Contact your local Home Gallery to learn more about the specific product lines, finishes and features available for your particular home.

Q

What type of cabinets does Richmond American use?

ACabinet brands vary from market to market, and there are generally a variety of brands, finishes, styles and wood species to choose from. Whether you want cherry mocha with recessed panels, flat white or classic natural, the designers at our Home Gallery will work to help you achieve a look you'll love. Contact your local Home Gallery if you have specific cabinet brand or style questions.

Q

What brand of plumbing fixtures does Richmond American use?

ADelta® Faucet Company is a world leader in residential faucets, and our national vendor for plumbing fixtures. Contact your local Home Gallery to learn more about the many styles, finishes and features available for your home.

Q

What type of countertops does Richmond American use?

ACountertops vary by market, but they're typically offered in a variety of colors, materials and brands. Granite in your choice of available colors is often included in the base price of our homes, but you may certainly opt for quartz, Corian®, tile or any of our other options. Contact your local Home Gallery to learn more about your options.

Q

How long does it take to build a Richmond American home?

AConstruction time depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the home and the complexity of the floor plan—even weather conditions can influence the timeline. Your construction superintendent should be able to set expectations as you move forward. If you need to move soon, consider one of our quick move-in homes. They can be ready in as soon as 60 days.

Q

How much does it cost to add a ______?

AFrom finished basements to master bedroom coffee bars, Richmond American homes can have an amazing array of structural configurations, interior design features and home technologies. We would love to provide a menu of á la carte options, but it's simply not that simple. Prices and options vary from region to region—even from plan to plan within the same community—so your best course of action is to contact a New Home Specialist at 888-500-7060 for personal assistance. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend having an upgrade budget roughly equal to 15% of the base price of the home.

Limited warranties are subject to terms and conditions. See a sales associate for details.

Homebuyers may be limited in the options and upgrades which can be made to homes which are finished or already under construction. Move-in dates are not guaranteed. All listed homes subject to prior sale. All sales are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Buyer's ability to select certain options, upgrades, elevations, color palettes and other items may be dependent upon the selected lot and subject to Richmond American Homes' community policies, including those relating to aesthetics and placement of homes.

The Richmond American Homes companies (RAH), HomeAmerican Mortgage Corporation (HMC), American Home Insurance Agency (also known as AHI Insurance Agency) (AHI) and American Home Title and Escrow Company (AHT) are owned, directly or indirectly, by M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. and, therefore, are affiliated companies. Each of RAH, HMC, AHI and AHT offers services independently of each other, and if you obtain a product or service from one company, you are not required to utilize the services of, or obtain products from, the other company. Your decision to use a company that is not affiliated with RAH, HMC, AHI or AHT will not affect your ability to obtain products and services from these companies.

Refer to the Energy Wise Program Home Disclosure Addendum to the Purchase Agreement for additional information.

^ RESNET has developed the HERS index to indicate the comparative efficiencies of homes. It is no guarantee that energy efficiencies or costs or savings will be achieved.

+ This information is presented for educational and illustration purposes only.

++ Typical resale home is based on the U.S. Department of Energy definition with a HERS® index of 130.

+++ Standard new home is based on the RESNET® Reference Home definition with a HERS® index of 100 (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code). The vendor registered trademark set forth above is the property of the owner, who is not affiliated with, connected to or sponsored by the Richmond American homes companies. The vendor listed has provided consideration to Richmond American Homes Corporation for marketing services.